Girard surgery is a surgical procedure used to treat hiatal hernias. This operation is named after the French surgeon René Girard, who first described it in 1946.
A hiatal hernia (HH) occurs when part of the stomach passes through a hole in the diaphragm into the chest. This can lead to difficulty swallowing, heartburn and other symptoms. Girard surgery corrects this by restoring the normal anatomy of the stomach and diaphragm.
During this operation, the surgeon makes an incision in the abdominal cavity, frees the substernal part of the stomach and returns it to the abdominal cavity. The surgeon then closes the hole in the diaphragm through which the stomach passed to prevent the hernia from recurring. This procedure is usually performed openly, but can sometimes be done laparoscopically.
Girard surgery is an effective treatment for most cases of hiatal hernia. It eliminates symptoms, restores normal anatomy and prevents complications such as esophagus and reflux esophagitis. Overall, it is a safe procedure with high success rates when performed by an experienced surgeon.